Multistrange baryon production in relativistic heavy ion collisions

Abstract

Using a multiphase transport model, we study the production of multistrange baryons from the hadronic matter formed in relativistic heavy ion collisions. The mechanism we introduce is the strangeness-exchange reactions between antikaons and hyperons. We find that these reactions contribute significantly to the production of multistrange baryons in heavy ion collisions at SPS energies, which has been found to be appreciably enhanced. We have also made predictions for multistrange baryon production in heavy ion collisions at RHIC and found a similar enhancement.